Reflections From Broken Glass
by First Weaver
Summary: A series of Kenshin-centric drabbles, KK and KT.  Manga canon.  Based on a 'word of the day' format.
1. Prognosticate

No, this is not the promised 'very long Rk story' ya'll may have noticed in my profile. This is a writing exercise-my Dictionary app on my iPhone has a word of the day feature, and I plan to write little tiny drabbles based on the word given. With any luck, these will be posted daily for a while. If you have any requests for a particular word, feel free to include it in a review... (hint hint).

**Prognosticate**

**-verb (used with object)**

**1. to forecast or predict (something future) from present indications or signs; prophesy.**

Shishou was right.

It was all Kenshin could think, sitting alone in his room at Okami's inn, cleaning a stranger's blood from his sword. (The other men had taken one look at his blood-spattered _hakama _and empty eyes and fled.)

In spite of all Kenshin's grand, unselfish ideals, Hiko had been _right_.

They were going to destroy him.


	2. Zaftig

Sorry, just realized I forgot a disclaimer in the last chapter...

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, though I would be extremely happy if I did. ^_^

**Zaftig**

**-adjective Slang.**

**1. (of a woman) having a pleasantly plump figure.**

**2. full-bodied; well-proportioned.**

There is laughter in the night, a woman's giggle and a man's deeper chuckle. They are young and deeply, passionately in love, discovering and rediscovering the heady pleasure of one another.

Holding his brand-new bride close, her soft breath cool against the drying sweat on his shoulder, Kenshin is grateful not only for Kaoru's blue eyes and her long legs that go on forever (though he is very,_ very_ appreciative of these) but also for the warmth and generosity of spirit that took in a scarred _rurouni_ and made him her own.

But she really does have the most amazing legs...


	3. Metanoia

Thanks to Syolen and geckohawaii for their reviews on the last chapter, and to all those who have alterted/favorited this story! I am blown away by your support.

This drabble is for Crau-san, who taught me a new word. ^_^ As always, concrit is appreciated.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin!

**Metanoia**

**-noun**

**1. a profound, usually spiritual, transformation; conversion.**

He has never hurt so badly before in his life; he has never before been so injured _broken back lacerations stab wounds near-blindness broken eardrums exposure._

Nor has his heart ever been so broken. The place in his soul where Tomoe used to be is raw, a gaping rent _the smell of her perfume the feel of her skin the softness of her hair the way the her voice rises and falls, oh _God_ I can't stand it_-

Had she not asked him to live, he would have put himself out of his own misery days ago.

He does not know what he will do now; oaths sworn to free and protect the people of Japan war with a horror of ever taking another life. He believes he will see her face in every strike, hear her scream in every death-cry.

He does not know what to do, only that he must not continue as he is. He _will_ find a way to atone.


	4. Philogyny

A big thanks once again to Syolen, and to caseyedith for their wonderful reviews. Concrit is always appreciated!

**Philogyny**

**-noun**

**1. love of or liking for women.**

Kenshin has been married not once, but twice. Kaoru burned his old, faded wandering clothes not long after their engagement, including the old magenta _gi_, and bought new, mostly in shades of blue and hunter green and gray. He has a hellion of a toddler that he chases from dawn to dusk. He has even cut his hair, for pity's sake!

Why does everyone _still_ think he's gay?


	5. Rataplan

Thanks to Syolen, Scarred Sword Heart, Crau-san, and caseyedith for their reviews. You guys rock!

Once again, I do not own RK. Sigh...

**Rataplan**

**-noun**

**1. a sound of or as of the beating of a drum.**

_Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum._

He can feel his heart pounding in his chest, hear it thumping in his ears. His lifeblood is leaking out on the floor, and he can hear Shishio's laughter ringing behind that stuttering thump.

_Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum._

He thinks of how easy it woud be to let go, to let that heavy rhythm stop. Over and over, he has survived what would destroy another: cholera, Aku Soku Zan, his own guilt, the _ougi_. Hasn't he done enough?

But then he remembers blue eyes, and knows he must live. _Live!_

_Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum._


	6. Panacea

Thanks to Syolen, caseyedith, and Lime Grass for their wonderful reviews-you guys ROCK!

To-do on Thursday... do laundry, exercise, post drabble, acquire rights to Rurouni Kenshin... Aw, well, at least one thing got done.

**Panacea**

**-noun**

**1. a remedy for all disease or ills; cure-all.**

Soak in warm water, add soap; scrub against washboard until pristine, twist to remove excess water; place in wicker basket to hang up in the warm summer sunshine later.

It is hard, physical labor: it makes the small of his back hurt to bend over the low tub, his shoulders burn, and if he isn't careful the strong lye soap will dry his hands until they crack and bleed. But it is honest work, immediately helpful to the people around him. Yahiko is too small to scrub effectively, and Kaoru is grateful for the reprieve. Kenshin is grateful to be helping, adding to life instead of taking it away.

He is scrubbing his stains away, one by one.


	7. Minim

Thanks to caseyedith, LimeGrass, Syolen, Scarred Sword Heart, and Crau-san for their reviews. Much love and virtual cookies to everyone!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin... *Stalks off*

**Minim**

**-noun**

**0. the least quantity of anything.**

Side by side in the garden, they say very little. By nature they are both quiet, melancholy people, made more so by the trials life has given them. Instead they listen to the wind in the trees, the sound of the spade striking good damp earth, the distant chatter of a stream.

The silence is a balm to his battle-torn soul, a poultice to her grief.

They don't say much, but then, they don't need to.


	8. Spatchcock

Thanks to Crau-san, caseyedith, Scarred Sword Heart, and Syolen for their reviews. You guys are awesone!

No, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Quit making me say it! It's mean!

**Spatchcock**

**-verb**

**0. To insert or interpolate, esp. in a forced or incongruous manner.**

It is dinner time, and Kaoru is yelling for Yahiko to come in and eat before it gets cold. Kenshin is putting the finishing touches on the salmon (a rare treat in their none-too-wealthy household, and so one with which he takes special care) when he hears Sanosuke come whistling innocently (read: with intent to mooch) up to the house. He grins, glad that Kaoru bought extra.

They are an odd bunch, he thinks, watching them at the table. Yahiko eats like the teenager Kenshin remembers being, grace sacrificed for speed. Kaoru is quite ladylike, except when she is whacking Yahiko upside the head and yelling for him to use manners, darn it, isn't he supposed to be _samurai_?

When Sano isn't stuffing his face (again, that insatiable teenage hunger!) he's making fun of the other two, and Kenshin too for good measure.

Kenshin can't help but smile behind his rice bowl. It's weird, their little family, but it works.


	9. Tarry

Thanks to Rei Masako and Crau-san for their reviews! You guys are awesome!

Eh, I don't like this one very much... maybe that's why I don't own Rurouni Kenshin...?

**Tarry**

**-verb**

**0. To remain or stay, as in a place; sojourn.**

When Kaoru-dono first invites him to stay at the dojo, Kenshin is apprehensive for a number of reasons. First, she is a single young woman, living alone, and having a single, unattached man in her house would be unseemly. He learns later that she has no reputation, or a very bad one, for being the unmarried _shihandai _who beat the tar out of a presumtuous former samurai in the marketplace with a _bokken_.

Too, he is apprehensive because he has a very poor track record with stubborn, too-kind, pretty young women. If Kaoru-dono lets him, if he lets _himself_, he could be very happy here.

However, for the nonce, he is tired (_exhausted_) and the little dojo on the edge of town with its blue-eyed mistress is a good place to rest for a while.


	10. Cheechako

Thanks to my delightful reviewers: Scarred Sword Heart, Rihannon, and caseyedith (twice!) You guys rock my socks!

As always, concrit is welcomed.

Also, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Cheechako**

**-noun**

**1.a tenderfoot; greenhorn; newcomer**

Kenshin honestly forgets, sometimes, what it means to be a master swordsman. Drilling Yahiko in the basics of footwork is both good for the boy's career as a practitioner of _kendo_ and for Kenshin's own strength to return, sapped as it was by his long convalescence in Kyoto.

When Yahiko realizes it is the drills of Kamiya Kasshin-_ryu _he is doing, he is furious.

"I thought you were teaching me Hiten Mitsurugi! Jerk!"

Kenshin thought anyone could tell the difference between the styles. Then he remembers that Yahiko is ten and all of five months Kaoru's apprentice, apologizes, and explains.


	11. Yeuk

So did anyone else think it was a capital crime for Kenshin's hair to be short? I can't imagine Kaoru allowing it! Somehow, the explanation of that concept blended with my latest drabble, so you get the Drabble on Steroids. Yeah.

Thanks to my lovely reviewers, SeaSaltChocolate (welcome to the party!), caseyedith, and Syolen. Your reviews are love!

I do not own RK. I believe my position on the hair explains this.

**Yeuk**

**-noun**

**itching sensation.**

The moans from the little _futon_ in the next room were becoming louder again. Kenshin suppressed a sigh, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand; this was exhausting. He was up all night dealing with this, and then Kaoru-_dono_ had gone to Maekawa-_san_'s _dojo_ to teach all afternoon, so he wouldn't be getting a respite any time soon.

He picked up yet another bowl of cool herbal-infused water and carried it to the bedroom. Kenji made a truly pitiful picture, with splotches as red as his hair all over his body, curled up in a miserable ball amongst his bedclothes. Rags had been tied gently around his hands to prevent him scratching, but the damage has already been done; he was bleeding in some places where the raised welts were now scabby sores.

Wishing his son liked him a little more, and would therefore be less tantrum-prone (Kaoru-_dono_ never had to deal with screaming fits!) Kenshin gently ran a cloth dampened with the herb-water down Kenji's back. Megumi-dono insisted that it was supposed to help: Chickenpox was a hot disease, and should respond to cooling herbs.

Kenji responded like a drowned cat.

"Le'mee _looooone_!" he wailed, yanking the covers up over his head. Kenshin rolled his eyes. He hadn't been that bad at three years old, had he?

Kenshin considered whether to press the point, but the question was solved for him when he heard a loud whistle—Sanosuke's favored form of greeting. Knocking had been outlawed after _the incident_ with the door.

"Hello-o! Anybody here?"

"This one is home," Kenshin said, closing Kenji's _shouji_ behind him. "What can _sessha_ do for you, Sano?"

"Um…" Sano seemed a bit befuddled. "The Fox Lady sent me."

"Does she need help at the clinic?" Kenshin thought furiously. He couldn't leave Kenji home alone, but his son was still contagious, so he couldn't bring him along, either.

"She sent me to get some medicine," Sano confessed.

"Oro?" _What medicine_?

"Well, um, I've got this weird rash…." Sano unconsciously scratched at his forearm.

Understanding dawned. "Sano, you've never had chicken pox, have you?"

* * *

After one miserable rooster had been dosed and sent to bed (how did a kid originally from a little village in the country _not_ end up with chicken pox at one point or another? It boggled the mind) Kenshin went back to check on Kenji.

The futon was empty.

_He's probably going to the bathroom,_ Kenshin thought. He went to the kitchen, intending to fix some fish broth for the invalids, when he spotted Kenji up on one of the counters.

"Kenji-chan! _No_!"

The toddler had a disconcerting affinity for heights; Kaoru claimed it came from Kenshin's side of the family.

Kenji laughed and threw a rice ball at him.

Kenshin gritted his teeth. Shishou had much to answer for, but the 'let's throw things at Daddy' game introduced on their last visit to Kyoto was at the top of his list.

He dodged a pair of cooking chopsticks and another rice ball before picking up the giggling little boy.

"You are a monster, that you are," he grumbled as he headed toward the door. "You and Shishou deserve each other, I think—"

Kenji reached up and grabbed a piece of cloth hanging from a shelf. Kenshin realized a series of things in quick succession:

That cloth was a towel put under a cracked sake jug, set there to drain until Kenshin could figure out a use for the mostly intact bottom half

Kenji was much stronger than he looked

The jug was falling, and with Kenji wriggling in his arms he could neither dodge nor catch it.

As he passed into unconsciousness, he tried to fall backwards so he wouldn't land on Kenji.

* * *

Sano returned to consciousness groggily. He hadn't been sleeping well lately (_damned_ itchy spots!) and the nap Kenshin had insisted he take was actually doing a surprising amount of good.

He noticed the normally turbulent Himura-Kamiya household was suspiciously quiet. If it was this quiet… what had woken him up?

Sano groaned and levered himself to his feet to investigate.

The bedrooms and main room were empty of redheads and their spawn, the _dojo_ likewise. It wasn't until Sano heard childish giggling that he headed for the kitchen.

What he saw was either the funniest thing since that time he caught Yahiko with Tsubame at the river, or the most heinous since Shishio. It was hard to tell.

A redheaded toddler, naked but for a cloth diaper and a grin, was sitting in a puddle of rice waving a utility knife in one hand and a hank of red hair in the other. His father was unconscious on the floor, and missing a good chunk of his ponytail. Kenji was grinning in a drooly way.

"Sannasa! Dada seepy!"

Sano finally gave in and snickered. "You said it, kid. Your momma's gonna be _ticked…._"

* * *

Umm, just a couple more notes, then I'll stop, I promise.

My sister (beta extraordinaire! Go read her stuff- it's under the penname Rayneken, awesome looong Naruto fic) pointed out that Sano was probably in China when Kenji was a toddler. Since I do not acknowledge Seisou Hen as canon (Don't know if I've ranted about this yet, but I HATE HATE HATE that OVA; K&K deserve their happy ending!) we will say that Sano has run out of money and come back for a visit.

Also, as to Kenji's climbing skills/unusual dexterity... think about his genes. His daddy's a master of Hiten Mitsurugi and a frickin' acrobat in his ownright, and his momma's no slouch either. And kids are always in the last place, doing the last thing you want them to be...

Concrit would be awesome!


	12. Canoodle

A big shout-out to my reviewers: Emi Violet, kokoronagomu, caseyedith, Scarred Sword Heart, LimeGrass, Crau-san, and Miztical-Dragon. (Counts number of reviews and swoons.)

In this chapter, beware of WAFF. Also, I do not own RK.

**Canoodle**

**-verb**

**fondle, or pet amorously.**

He is being used as a human pillow again.

Kenshin sighs, and shifts uncomfortably under his wife's heavily pregnant form. He'd had no idea that being with child would turn Kaoru into such a _cuddler_—she constantly has a hand on his arm, fingers in his ponytail, a surprise hug from behind while he cooks. Even their customary evening tea, taken side-by-side on the _engawa_, has turned into a snuggle-fest of Kaoru sitting between his legs, head pillowed on his shoulder while the baby rolls under their hands.

Apparently, pregnancy has also made Kaoru cold. Given that it _is_ February, this is not unreasonable; the fact that she has decided Kenshin is a perfect heater/body pillow _is_.

In some ways, it's not entirely awful. He likes spending time with Kaoru, after all, and her small touches are pleasant. And the sensation of his child—_their_ child—moving beneath her skin is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Maybe cuddles aren't so bad.


	13. Koan

Thanks to my reviewers: Nao, Scarred Sword Heart, kokoronagomu, Rihannon, LimeGrass, Emi Violet, caseyedith, SeaSaltChocolate, Miztical-Dragon, and Crau-san. I am humbled by the kind words you leave me.

I wish I owned Rurouni Kenshin. We would see more of Hiko, who P'OWNs. Seriously.

**Koan**

–**noun,plural-ans, -an. Zen.**

**a nonsensical or paradoxical question to a student for which an answer is demanded, the stress of meditation on the question often being illuminating.**

Master and apprentice are enjoying one of the first truly warm days of spring. The sunshine is bright, with just the barest whisper of breeze, and a very few tiny white white butterflies have been spotted. The tiny redhead has lived with the swordsman for more than six months now, since the previous autumn when he was rescued from bandits.

He had been quiet and serious, dedicated to learning everything he could of the principles of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, swordsmanship, and the traditional samurai culture. Less than enthusiastic about the last, true, but dedicated. Nightmares had been a problem, at first, and malnutrition; Hiko had been gruffly brusque with the former and strict regarding the latter. No apprentice of _his_ is going to look like a half-starved bird!

The child before him is unrecognizable.

Kenshin has filled out, young limbs lean with youthful muscle. Chasing squirrels has put a warm flush on his cheeks, and his eyes are sparkling with pleasure.

"Shishou! Look, there's a rainbow over the waterfall!"

Hiko mentally pats himself on the back. He's done a fine job.

"Rainbows, oh my ignorant _deshi_, mean you need to watch for snakes..."

* * *

In traditional Shinto mythology, rainbows are actually a bad omen; they are associated with serpents. Hiko seems more Shinto than Buddhist to me, (dunno why) and it seemed an appropriately dour way to rain on chibi!Kenshin's parade. Which Hiko loves to do.

Concrit is love!


	14. Rhapsodize

A BIG thank you to all my amazing reviewers: kokoronagomu, LimeGrass, SRAS9, Miztical-Dragon, SeaSaltChocolate, caseyedith, Emi Violet, Crau-san, Scarred Sword Heart, and geckohawaii. You guys are just... wonderful. :)

**Rhapsodize**

**Verb, used without object**

**talk with extravagant enthusiasm**

Kenshin regrets leaving his master, of course he does, but a great deal less than he would have regretted doing nothing while the common people suffer. Shishou is _samurai_ born, and does not understand the grinding poverty of a villager's life, the blood and sweat expended for a bite to eat and a cold corner to sleep; he does not understand how hard they work just to survive, and how easily the injustice of the world will take it all away, death and disease and slavery.

But Kenshin does understand. He will no longer allow his grand ideals to be just words. He will use his sword, and he will remake the world. Then Shishou will understand.


	15. Premorse

A big thank you to all my reviwers: kokornagomu, SeaSaltChocolate, geckohawaii, AlterEgoSadist, SRAS9, caseyedith, LimeGrass, Miztical-Dragon, Emi Violet, Scarred Sword Heart, and Crau-san.

**Premorse**

**-adjective**

**Pertaining to the end of something irregularly shortened, as if bitten or broken off.**

The Kyoto night air is hot and still, even with the window open; not a breath of air stirs in the sickroom. Kaoru kneels beside the _futon_, ignoring the trickle of sweat inching its way down her temple. Any discomfort to her is visited on Kenshin a thousand fold.

He has not woken since Sano and Aoshi brought him back. She still remembers that stare, sightless and glazed, before his eyes slide closed as though they are too heavy to hold open.

Even that memory, however, has not the painful power of this moment. Kenshin is hanging onto life by a thread: he is dry and feverish, his lips cracked and bleeding; and his breathing…

It is hoarse, shallow; every intake is a gasp, every exhale a stuttering agony, and Kaoru never knows which pause between will be the last.


	16. Absquatulate

A MASSIVE thank you to all my reviewers: Miztical-Dragon, caseyedith, SRAS9, kokoronagomu, Emi Violet, SeaSaltChocolate, and Scarred Sword Heart. Virtual hugs!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Absquatulate**

**-verb**

**to flee; abscond**

Kenshin can still hear her cries behind him, and each filets another slice from his heart. But he cannot stop, cannot turn back; once again the people of Japan have called upon him, and he can no more turn his back on them than he can stop his own heartbeat.

Yet turning away from Kaoru-_dono_, shutting his ears to her cries, begging him to stay….

It still feels like cowardice.


	17. Incunabulum

A HUGE thank you to all my amazing reviewers: Jasmine blossom625, LimeGrass, Houkanno Yuuhou, Althea M, caseyedith, Emi Violet, SRAS9, Scarred Sword Heart, and Syolen.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Incunabulum**

**Definition: the earliest stages or first traces of anything.**

An excerpt from the diary of Yukishiro Tomoe.

He feeds stray cats.

It is a simple thing, one of the smallest parts of his day, squeezed between sleeping against the wall and his assignments delivered in the black envelopes. I don't understand. Why does a _hitokiri_, a murderer who makes it rain blood, care if a few mangy animals go hungry?

Why would Kiyosato's killer do something like that?


	18. Tare

Have love for all my reviewers! Emi Violet, caseyedith, SRAS9, kokoronagomu, LimeGrass, Rihannon, and Scarred Sword Heart, thank you!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Tare**

**-noun**

**The weight of the wrapping or container that holds an object.**

There is a man, and there is a sword, and there is a road, and there is the sun beating down on them all, fierce and brilliant and hot. There is relief from loneliness here, and an atonement for guilt with every life touched.

When the sun goes down, alone in a tiny woodland glade: there is a man, and a sword, and an uneaten meal cast aside.

And there are tears.


	19. Piquant

A huge thanks to all my lovely reviewers: SRAS9, caseyedith, LimeGrass, Crau-san, Emi Violet, Rihannon, SeaSaltChocolate, kokoronagomu, Scarred Sword Heart, and especially geckohawaii, who caught a couple of typos! (Hate those things, will slay on sight. Should all be fixed now.)

**Piquant**

**-adjective**

**Agreeably stimulating, interesting, or attractive.**

He's just too cute.

With that lithely toned body, textured with scars and marks; his emotive eyes, changeable as the sea; his fiery corona of hair, so agreeably soft and silky against the calluses on her palm, he is practically perfect.

Kaoru sits and watches him dice carrots, his hands long and slim and confident of the short blade. He has lovely hands, she thinks, capable of great kindness and strength.

Unable to stand it anymore, she squeezes him hard around the waist, and is rewarded with the most attractive expression of all: A warm, heart-felt smile.


	20. Ruction

Thanks to my loverly reviewers: Jasmine blossom625, SRAS9, kokoronagomu, LimeGrass, Emi Violet, geckohawaii, caseyedith, and Scarred Sword Heart. Your feedback is love!

**Ruction**

**-noun**

**A disturbance, quarrel, or row.**

"YOU NEVER TEACH ME ANYTHING NEW!"

"WELL YOU'RE NOT READY TO LEARN!"

"MAYBE YOU'RE JUST A CRAPPY TEACHER!"

"GROW UP!"

Yahiko folds his arms, and with a smug look on his face, issues the ultimate insult. "Ugly."

Kaoru swells like a toad, her face turning a painful shade of puce. "I," she threatens, her voice beginning soft and furious, "am going to SMEAR YOU INTO PASTE!"

Kenshin smiles a bit to himself. To think that these are the battles between swordsmen in this age of peace—no clash of steel, or tang of blood, just the playful exchange of banter.

-Well, mostly playful.

"AND RIP YOU TO SHREDS!"


	21. Vellicate

And a thank you once again to my lovely (or handsome! If you are, can I have your number?) and wonderful reviewers: donhisiewen, SRAS9, No one special (I beg to differ!), Jasmine blossom625, Emi Violet, Miztical-Dragon, SeaSaltChocolate, Crau-san, LimeGrass, kokoronagomu, and Scarred Sword Heart.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Vellicate**

**-verb**

**To touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements.**

"_Mommy!_" the shriek is a child's desperate cry, wrenched from the bottom of a thin chest. "_Mommy, help me!_"

Kaoru turns from her class of middle-ranked students, immediately concerned. Kenshin is supposed to be watching Kenji—what could possibly be wrong?

A little boy comes tearing through the door of the _dojo_ as though a demon itself is on his heels, face red with effort and cheeks shining damply with sweat. He throws himself desperately into his mother's arms, and wails, "Mommy, save me!"

And then Kenshin comes skidding through the door, with a sparkle in his eyes and a devilish grin. "Come back here, you!"

Her students are snickering. Kaoru does her best not to roll her eyes as she realizes that Kenji is smiling too.

"Were you playing tickle monster again?" She asks in resignation.

Kenji nods, ponytail flopping. "Don't let him get me!"

Kenshin looks appropriately abashed now, realizing he has interrupted a class. "Apologies, Kaoru-_dono_… here, let _sessha_ take him…"

"TICKLE MONSTER!" Kenji shrieks, still enjoying his game. "SAVE ME!"

Kaoru sighs; her students aren't even bothering to stifle their laughter anymore.

And she can hardly hold back a grin herself as she takes the two redheads away for a talking-to.


	22. Foudroyant

Thanks to the incredible reviwers who are the reason I continue to update: Scarred Sword Heart, Emi Violet, Jasmine blossom625, SeaSaltChocolate, Chi no Kaori, SRAS9, geckohawaii, Rihannon, caseyedith, and Crau-san.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Foudroyant**

**-adjective**

**Definition: sudden and overwhelming in effect.**

They had originally planned on a simple ceremony, her mother's _kimono_ in scarlet for her and her father's old _haori_ for him, a little big but more serviceable than the rest of his travel-worn things. A quick trip to the local shrine, and vows spoken before a priest would suffice.

Then Megumi finds out.

Like a whirlwind she decides that the carmine _kimono_ is perfect for purposes of tradition, but the _obi_ needs an update, and Kenshin spends a miserable few hours at the tailor's choosing exactly the right shade and pattern of silk; the Oniwabanshu are invited and Kenshin's _shishou_ summoned on pain of death. Practically everyone they know in Tokyo is coming: Uramura and his family, Saito and his venerated wife, Dr. Gensai, all of Kaoru's students and their families, and a half dozen others who were friends of Kaoru's family before Kenshin knew her.

It drives bride and groom, both minimalists at heart, nearly to distraction.

Then the promised day finally arrives, and Kenshin is waiting in a knot of allies, friends and family; Yahiko is beaming, and even Shishou's scowl is softened.

Then Kaoru comes through the open _shouji_, and every thought in Kenshin's head evaporates.

She is absolutely radiant. Ribbons and tiny birds have been woven into her hair, the golden sparkle matching the subtle threads woven into her maroon _obi_, dragons rampant and passant. Her face is in a proper solemn mien, and Kenshin is grateful she has foregone the traditional white makeup so he can see the sparkle of joy in her eyes.

Never, Kenshin thinks, has a man been so blessed.


	23. Tosh

This drabble is for caseyedith, who suggested a new definition for an old word. Thanks!

And a big shout-out and cookies to my other reviewers: geckohawaii, Emi Violet, donhisiewen, hislips, SRAS9, Rihannon, Jasmine blossom625, LimeGrass, Scarred Sword Heart, mijin, and SeaSaltChocolate.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin (or the Hitokiri Battousai).

**Tosh**

**-verb**

**To make neat or tidy.**

It is too dark to see if his hands are clean.

I'izuka and Kenshin's other minders never cease to be impressed by Kenshin's abilities: his speed, his accuracy, his strength when cleaving bone from bone. According to them, he is now so skilled that he can strike down an entire contingent of bodyguards without splashing so much as a drop of blood on himself. He wishes he didn't have quite so much practice with this particular technique.

Alone in the dark washroom, with the moon shining flecks through the window, it is impossible to tell whether the blood is ever coming off.


	24. Distrain

Thanks to all the awesome reviewers of the last chapter: donhisiewen, Emi Violet, Althea M, LimeGrass, caseyedith, SRAS9, geckohawaii, No one special, Crau-san, kokoronagomu, and Scarred Sword Heart.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Distrain**

**-verb**

**To levy a distress upon.**

Two blades, _katana_ and _wakizashi_, thrust blade-down and abandoned in the rusty mud of Fushimi's battlefield: Was there a more potent symbol of the freedom he felt, without those killing tools at his side?

Heedless of his lack of possessions—he has no winter _haori_, in spite of the cold, food for little more than a day, no money and no prospects of getting any—he feels weightless. All Japan's open road is before him, and great burden has been lifted with the taking of his promise never again to kill.

No oath could be heavier than the weight of his victims on his soul, but now he can begin to atone.


	25. Lupine

Well folks, we've reached the halfway mark! I know, it came fast… Just FYI, I did a little bit of research on the genres/eras of my drabbles, and here are some statistics (feel free to skip them if you're not as OCD as I).

Genres-

Angst: 6

WAFF: 3

Romance: 3

Humor: 3

Drama: 7

General: 3

Eras-

Childhood: 1

Bakumatsu: 7

Wandering years: 2

Meiji Era: 15

If there's a particular genre or era you'd like to see more of, just let me know in a review!

Thanks to all my reviewers: caseyedith, SRAS9, geckohawaii, LimeGrass, donhisiewen, kokoronagomu, Emi Violet, Scarred Sword Heart, and Miztical-Dragon.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Lupine**

**-adjective**

**Pertaining to or resembling the wolf.**

**Related to the wolf.**

**Savage; ravenous; predatory.**

This is the Bakumatsu.

Crouched at the mouth of another anonymous alleyway, the Captain of the Third Unit of the Shinsengumi nearly laughs. Choshu needs a boy to fight their battles now? Girl-slim, the youth cannot be much past his _genpukku_.

Nonetheless, the boy is an obstacle. Drawing his sword, he introduces himself as honor requires: "Saitou Hajime, Squad Leader of the Third Unit."

Voice low and firm, the boy replies, "Himura Battousai, Choshu Ishin Shishi."

And with a speed that is the hallmark of the great swordsmen of their age, Battousai _blurs_.

Their swords keen, and they circle, striking for vital organs and the soft tissue over arteries. Battousai draws first blood, along Saitou's forearm.

Saitou cannot control the feral grin that spreads over his features. Finally—_finally_!—Choshu has produced a swordsman worthy of being the opponent of his Gatotsu; because behind those impassive features, Saitou can see the clean pleasure of the mission accomplished, the fierce euphoria of pushing oneself to one's very limits and exceeding them.

He sees in Battousai's eyes the joy of battle, and knows he has met his match.

And the ring of steel on steel is music beneath the moonless sky.


	26. Galore

Thanks for the feedback from my reviewers: Miztical-Dragon, Jasmine blossom625, AlterEgoSadist, caseyedith, SRAS9, Scarred Sword Heart, donhisiewen, SeaSaltChocolate, LimeGrass, geckohawaii, Rihannon, Emi Violet, and Crau-san.

There is a pic on DeviantArt that goes perfectly with this drabble—search for 'Mushroom Samba' by Lady Battousai. It's awesome.

I do not, unfortunately, own Rurouni Kenshin.

And sorry about the late review replies to the last chapter—I caught the stomach flu and have been drugged to my gills.

**Galore**

**-adjective**

**In abundance; in plentiful amounts**.

It's ugly. It's been a long time since the thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi-_ryu_ has been nervous, much less intimidated, but the situation is… ugly. He doesn't know if he's going to be able to cope with this.

"Shishou!" A tiny redhead looks up from where he is plunked on his fanny on the loamy forest floor and beams. "Hi, Shishou."

"Kenshin," Hiko says cautiously, "What did you eat?"

"Mushrooms!" Kenshin grins. "There were brown mushrooms and little white mushrooms and a squirrel and clouds and I like the little purple flowers and—"

"How many did you eat?" Hiko breaks in, a little desperately.

Kenshin looks around, gaze a bit unfocused. "Lots," he said fuzzily. "Lots'n'lots."

"Lots." Hiko's heart sinks. His _deshi_ is normally stupid, but at least he is sane and quiet—two of the few reasons Hiko can tolerate him and not the rest of the people in Japan.

Now he has a hyperactive child to deal with until the effect of the mushrooms wear off.

"Can you stand?" Hiko asks.

Kenshin makes an abortive attempt to get his feet under him. "Nope." He grins happily up at Hiko and giggles. "Piggyback ride!"

_Not a snowball's chance in Hell._ Wordlessly, Hiko grabs Kenshin by the back of his _gi_ and swings the boy over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Kenshin makes appreciative noises regarding the ride.

Hiko turns to go back to the cabin. With the flexibility only a student of their _ryu_ could possibly possess, Kenshin twists in his master's grip so that he is facing the older man's shoulders, and wraps his arms around his Shishou's neck, where he proceeds to _snuggle_ like a happy kitten.

Hiko's spine stiffens, and Kenshin lets out a peal of happy laughter.

"Shishou!" he giggles. "You smell like old person!"

Sighing (and praying to the _kami_ Kenshin will pass out soon) Hiko heads back to the cabin.

It's going to be a long, long night.


	27. Orthoepy

Thanks again to all my awesome reviewers: SRAS9, Jasmine blossom625, caseyedith, kokoronagomu, mijin, Althea M, donhisiewen, geckohawaii, LimeGrass, Emi Violet, Crau-san, and Scarred Sword Heart. Much love!

**Orthoepy**

**-noun**

**The study of correct pronunciation.**

The autumn afternoon is a rare moment of solitude for the two of them: The children are playing distantly in the background, laughing and screaming; and underlain is the deeper growl of Yahiko's voice calling for order. Iria-_chan_ pokes her head out the door and says, "Momma, Papa, supper's ready."

"Shall we go in, my love?" Kenshin asks. Kaoru looks it him, his red hair now liberally streaked with gray, and smiles.

"Wouldn't miss it," she says.

Today is the annual Himura-Myojin-Sagara dinner, and all the children, grandchildren, and adopted family are attending. Kenshin has a special place in his heart for Iria's oldest boy Kensei. He is the only one of Kenshin's grandchildren to have inherited his grandfather's fiery hair, and his grandmother's temper to match it, along with a sweet, helpful spirit.

He is displaying that attitude of helpfulness now, supporting the gigantic bowl of _ohagi_ Megumi brought beneath his mother's hands. He beams when he sees Kenshin.

"Hi, Grampa—!" Kensei doesn't ever see the warped floorboard sticking up out of the ancient _dojo _floor, and the _ohagi_ flies skyward, then arcs down onto Kensei-_chan_'s head, spattering his mother's _kimono_ all the way to her knees.

For a moment there is utter, horrified silence.

Then Kensei says, "Oro?"

Kenshin can't help it. He bursts out laughing.


	28. Couchant

Um… hi.

*Ducks rotten tomatoes*

I know, I'm sorry I didn't update yesterday! I am a very bad person, and very sorry. I was busy, and then I didn't have internet access, and… yeah. Loser-ish. But this one is almost fifteen hundred words!

Thank you to my darling reviewers who have stuck with me anyway: Syolen, hislips, SRAS9, donhisiewen, kokoronagomu, geckohawaii, Rihannon, SeaSaltChocolate, Emi Violet, Lime Grass, caseyedith, Crau-san, and Scarred Sword Heart.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Also, apologies for the overuse of italics. But it _is_ grammatically correct. There they go again-!

**Couchant**

**-adjective**

**Lying down; crouching; reclining.**

Kenshin is lying on his back on his _futon_ for the nth day, recovering from his battle with Enishi. According to Megumi he has overtaxed his body above and beyond, and she has made some very pointed threats if he does not rest regarding extended stays at the clinic, sedatives, the use of leather restraints, etcetera.

This last is delivered with a saucy wink that makes Kaoru-_dono_ turn an interesting shade of purple, and Kenshin does his best to look clueless as he says, "Oro?"

He knows Megumi-_dono_ has his best interests at heart, in spite of her teasing; he is no longer a teenager to brush off hunger, anemia, and exhaustion, and for a time it is good to simply _be_, to bask in the warm feel of Kaoru-_dono_'s _ki_, to drink the tea she makes (not too sweet, but not bitter, the way he likes it), to listen to the ring of hammers as workers repair the damage Enishi did to the _dojo_. Someone (Kenshin suspects Saitou) made the government cough up money for the expenses, ostensibly as 'payment' for averting the Shishio fiasco. Kenshin is caught somewhere between mortification, old bitterness, and vindication. In the end he lets it go, because it's already done and he can't fix it himself and Kaoru-_dono_ doesn't have the money.

Now, however, the repairs are done and the _dojo_ is quiet. Yahiko is gone to his shift at Akabeko, and Kaoru-_dono_ made noises about grocery shopping, which was let go in their paired absence. She was loathe to leave him alone, but as Kenshin pointed out, they _did_ need to eat.

It should be safe, after all; all of his old enemies are gone. Mostly. He's pretty sure.

In the lazy heat of the autumn afternoon, boredom is beginning to make him lose his mind. He's counted the number of crinkles in the _shoji_ on the eastern wall, picked at a loose thread in his _yukata_, reviewed the principles of Hiten Mitsurugi-_ryu_, tried to meditate (for about four minutes, he sucks at meditation and always has), and now a fly has wandered in through the thoughtful crack Kaoru-_dono_ left in the outside door for light and fresh air. The buzzing is grating on his last nerve, but he can hardly kill the little creature: one, he has strict orders to stay in bed, and two, there are laws now about killing things just for being annoying.

The heat is soporific. The buzzing is annoying. There is an ache in his lower back. And by his estimation, Kaoru-_dono_ only left about half an hour ago.

_That's it_! There is laundry to be done; there is always laundry to be done, and Kenshin can't bear another minute in bed.

_Just a few _gis_, _he tells himself. _Just enough to get Kaoru-_dono_ and Yahiko-_kun_ through until she's less busy, and then I'll go right back to bed._

For some reason he feels guilty as he smooths the covers over the _futon_—he's coming right back, so no reason to put it away—and puts on his _hakama _and _hakama-shita_. He sneaks a little bit in spite of the empty, quiet house. It requires little of the _hitokiri's_ stealth to slide the _shoji_ silently shut, and less to avoid the creaky board in the hall by the kitchen threshold. In spite of the slight dizziness and weakness in his limbs, it feels good to be moving again.

While he takes the laundry tub down from its accustomed place, Kenshin's thoughts turn down a well-worn path: To Kaoru-_dono_. They had a long and serious talk yesterday, when he was finally able to stay awake long enough for a real conversation, regarding permanence and plans for the future. Kenshin searches for the soap—has someone hidden it?—and remembers some of the things she said. It almost made it sound like… if he dared hope… that she might…

_Idiot!_ Kenshin thought as he searched behind yet another bundle of winter clothes, _She came right out and said that you'd better marry her!_ It still seems too good to be true.

The thought makes his neck turn red, even as a slightly goofy smile finds its way onto his face.

He can picture it now. They will adopt the little gray stray cat that he has been feeding, and perhaps wait for the winter to end, while they get the finances straight and Kenshin finishes healing. Then a wedding, something small, maybe just the two of them at the local shrine.

And then…

Ah! Soap! Though why they put it under the false floorboard in the shed where Kaoru-_dono_ usually hides the _mochi_ from Sano and Yahiko is a mystery.

Kenshin balances soap, tub, and bucket carefully in his arms and takes the whole thing to the well. The sun indicates it is more toward evening than afternoon now, but that's alright, he's only going to do a few things…

The first bucket goes down the well without a hitch, but when he makes to pull it up, Kenshin feels a sharp twinge in his side. He hurriedly pulls the flap of his _hakama-shita_ aside to check his bandages; if he pulls his stitches Megumi-_dono_ will kill him, and that's only if there's anything left when Kaoru-_dono_ gets through!

He sighs in relief. No tell-tale red stain, just the lingering sting of a wound not quite closed yet.

More carefully, he tugs on the rope. Maybe if he sort of bends, to protect the stitches, and uses more shoulder and back muscles than abdominal…?

"HIMURA KENSHIN!"

_Busted_.

How did he not sense her? Ah, well, too late now.

"Ah…" he grins sheepishly. "Hello, Kaoru-_dono_. How was your shopping trip…?"

"Bed! Now!" Kaoru-_dono_ brandishes a long, paper-wrapped parcel, one of many in her arms, the way she might a _bokken_; she is very pretty today, in her new green _kimono_ that Megumi gave her, her cheeks pink from exercise—and anger.

Kenshin realizes he should pay attention.

"Ah—sorry, Kaoru-_dono_, _sessha_ just—"

"Don't '_sessha_ just' me!" Kaoru-_dono _is in fine form. "Why do you think I hid the soap, hm? Do you think I was trying to be funny?"

Oh. Now it makes sense. "_Sessha_ can explain—"

"EXPLAIN FROM YOUR FUTON!"

Kenshin feels it is prudent to obey.

Back in his _yukata_, contritely lying on his _futon_, Kenshin waits patiently for the tongue-lashing he knows is coming. Kaoru-_dono_ has a surprising repertoire of insults and swearwords that she uses when she's really worked up, and judging by the white-knuckled grip on her groceries, this one in going to be a doozy.

The _shoji_ opens, and Kaoru-_dono_ enters, carrying a candle; Kenshin realizes that while he waited twilight has fallen.

She surprises him by not immediately launching into her tirade; instead she kneels by his _futon_, sets the candle down, and watches him. Kenshin tries to analyze the expression on her face and in her _ki_—is that _disappointment_?

"You're so stubborn," Kaoru-_dono_ finally says. "Why are you so stubborn?"

Kenshin senses that this is a rhetorical question and remains silent.

"You're always taking care of everyone else," Kaoru-_dono_ says. "You're the first up in the morning, and the last to go to bed, even though I can hear that you don't sleep well. You make sure to do all the really hard chores, and when you run out of chores you do them _again_."

Kenshin is unable to deny this. It is true.

"Did you ever think that maybe _I_ want to take care of _you_ occasionally?" Kaoru-_dono_ says, laying a soft hand on his shoulder, smoothing a wrinkle in his _yukata_. "If you hurt yourself by being stubborn when just a few more weeks of rest will make you better, I _will_ flatten you."

She is one of the only people he knows who can reduce him to wordlessness. Even Shishou is not so insightful.

"_Sessha…_" he begins, then founders. "_Sessha_ is very sorry for worrying you, Kaoru-_dono_."

Seriously, Kaoru-_dono_ says, "Sorry means you won't do it again. You promise?"

Kenshin thinks of the long hours ahead and wilts. "_Hai_, Kaoru-_dono_. _Sessha_ promises."

"Good!"And then, just like that, she is cheerful again. "Well now that you're awake more often now I thought you might be bored, so I got some books from the market and the mending basket. It's probably too dark for either of those, but maybe tomorrow…?"

Smiling in genuine relief, Kenshin says, "Kaoru-_dono_ is too kind to _sessha_. Thank you, that would be good."

They sit and talk until the moon rises, and Kenshin remembers what it is to be loved.

To be happy.

When Kenshin has finally fallen asleep, Kaoru gathers up her things and tucks the blanket more securely around his shoulders. She smiles fondly as she closes the _shoji_ door quietly behind her.

-And goes to find a better hiding place for the soap.


	29. Kith

I got a lot of positive feedback on older!Kenshin, so this story is a sort of continuation/backstory to the drabble 'Orthoepy'. Concrit is, as always, love.

And thanks to my dedicated reviewers: Miztical-Dragon, SRAS9, donhisiewen, Crau-san, chiyoko, SeaSaltChocolate, Emi Violet, Rihannon, kokoronagomu, Althea M, LimeGrass, Syolen, and Scarred Sword Heart.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Kith**

**-noun**

**Acquaintances, friends, neighbors, or the like; persons living in the same general locality and forming a more or less cohesive group.**

"Grampa?"

Kenshin glances up from his mending—the arthritis is more manageable today, so he figures he'd best get it done—and sees his favorite grandson standing nervously at the threshold, hands clasped behind his back and his head down so that his bangs cover his eyes. Kensei-_chan_ is still very much in the doghouse over the _ohagi _incident, and has been treading very very carefully around his entire extended family. Kenshin's heart goes out to the sensitive little boy. He's been the odd one out and knows how devastating it can be.

"Come sit down," Kenshin invites. Kensei plops down at his side, immediately picking at a loose piece of straw in the weave of Kenshin's mending basket. The little boy looks so forlorn it is hard to reprimand him, so Kenshin resigns himself to repairing the basket later.

"Why the long face?" Kenshin invites confidences with a warm smile.

"Grampa?" Kensei says. "How come Uncle Sano doesn't like my daddy?"

Well Kenshin certainly hadn't expected _that_. "What did he say?"

"He said I've got my daddy's squinty eyes," Kensei begins picking at his toes now, eyes still hidden by his hair.

Kenshin puts a mental note on his to-do list: Borrow the _sakabatou_ from Yahiko so he can beat the crap out of Sano later.

"He didn't get along with your daddy's daddy," Kenshin says. "They fought a lot when they were younger."

Boy, was that an understatement! Kenshin still remembers the day Saitou Tatsuo had come seeking Kenshin's daughter's hand, reluctant father in tow. Sanosuke had been incensed, and spent the entire visit alternating between threats against the father and threats against the son until Megumi whacked him upside the head. Kenshin had thought that after Kenji's tumultuous courtship with Chief Uramura's niece they would be done with senseless teenage romance. Iria-_chan_ was, after all, such a level-headed and intelligent girl….

Who wanted to marry the youngest son of the Wolf of Mibu, a man some years her senior. The uproar had been audible halfway to Kyoto.

Kenshin looks at his grandson now, with his own build, slight and slim, and his red hair; but the boy has his father's eyes, black and exotic, and his mother's warmth of spirit, and his grandmothers' fiery temper (both of them!). Kensei, he thinks, is the sum of their family, the embodiment of all their hopes for the future.

"Grampa?" Kensei asks. "I know you told Mama that you don't do pranks anymore, but…"

"But what?" Kenshin prompts, a slow smile creeping onto his face.

"Can you help me play a prank on Uncle Sano?" Kensei spits out in a rush.

Kenshin weighs the chewing out he'll get from his wife _and_ his daughter against the hope he can see in Kensei's eyes. In the end, there's really no question.

"Come on," Kenshin hauls himself creakily to his feet. "I know I've got a stash of _wasabi_ somewhere."

Kensei's eyes light up in a pure devilry that is all his own.


	30. Shenanigan

I saw this word and this chapter wrote itself in my head in, like, ten seconds. Scarred Sword Heart's request just compounded the need to be written.

Thanks to all my reviewers: Miztical-Dragon, kokoronagomu, mijin, SRAS9, geckohawaii, caseyedith, LimeGrass, donhisiewen, No one special, Syolen, Rihannon, Scarred Sword Heart, Emi Violet, Katato2013, Althea M, and Crau-san. Enjoy!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. (I do, however, own the concept of the adorable Kensei. ^_^)

**Shenanigan**

**-noun**

**Mischief; prankishness.**

Kenshin snickers. Sano is never going to know what hit him.

"You got the rice flour?" He whispers to Kensei.

"Here it is, Grampa!" Kensei whispers back. "Can we begin Operation Squinty Eyes?"

"Yes we can," Kenshin says. The apparatus is now in place, and the angles have been carefully calculated; there is an anticipatory gleam in his grandson's eye that does Kenshin's heart good.

"Target approaches!" Kensei hisses. "I repeat, Grampa, _target approaches_!"

"Assume attack position!" Kenshin whispers back, hefting the blowtube in one hand. He trains his _ki_ sense on the man coming up the drive, anticipating just… the right… _moment_—

Sano enters the kitchen, innocent as a lamb to the slaughter. "Hey Kenshin, the Kitsune says—"

Things happen very fast.

Sano slips in a puddle of cooking oil, catching himself on the counter, and the thick wad of _wasabi_ smeared there. Kenshin darts forward and blows a puff of rice flour directly at Sanosuke's face.

In an instinctive gesture, Sano reaches up and rubs his eyes with the back of his hand to clear them of the irritating powder.

Then the _wasabi_ hits him, and he howls.

"I'm gonna murder you damn redheads!" He howls, stumbling blindly to his feet. "Shoulda known better than to let you _spawn_."

Kensei, small and defiant with his hands on his hips, looks up at Sano with triumph written large on his features.

"Who's got squinty eyes _now_, Rooster-Brain!"


	31. Beek

Thanks to my reviewers: caseyedith, SRAS9, No one special, geckohawaii, LimeGrass, Scarred Sword Heart, Miztical-Dragon, Althea M, donhisiewen, kokoronagomu, and Emi Violet.

**Beek**

**-verb**

**To bask or warm in the sunshine or before a fire.**

Today there was battle with the Shogunate troops, hot and quick and bloody, and tomorrow there will be battle again. For now Kenshin and his mobile unit are snatching a few hours to sleep, to gulp down some warm food and the _sake_ someone brought out of nowhere. They are taking this time to renew themselves, as much as possible before the next span of hours taxes their meager resources.

Kenshin sits at the edge if the circle of light, watching the men around the fire. They will not grudge him a place beside them—he has saved all their lives more than once—but the warmth will diminish and the light will dim; the laughter will be strained.

And he will still be alone.


	32. Anacoluthia

And once again, a big thanks to the reviewers, who are the reason the updates continue: Syolen, caseyedith, Emi Violet, Crau, SRAS9, donhisiewen, Miztical-Dragon, Althea M, geckohawaii, Scarred Sword Heart, and SeaSaltChocolate.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. If I did, this particular scene would have actually _occurred _in the manga. ^_^

**Anacoluthia**

**-noun**

**Lack of grammatical sequence or coherence, esp. in a sentence.**

Kaoru is ranting.

Kenshin watches with no little bemusement as she stomps through the house, _bokken _in hand, shouting at the top of her lungs. He's not entirely sure what he's done to set her off, only that it involves Megumi, _tofu_, Kenshin, Kenshin, and the priorities of married life.

He knows he should be paying attention. If he inadvertently agrees to one of her negative comments, the consequences could be… dire.

Her mouth, however, is distracting him. Pink and a little chapped, her lips are inviting, even when her voice is at full volume.

Throwing caution to the wind, Kenshin catches his wife in his arms and kisses her soundly on that tantalizing mouth.

Her fury is halted mid-shriek, and she melts against him, silent.

Kenshin grins smugly. Words are overrated.


	33. Bilocation

Thank you to all my amazing reviewers: SRAS9, Jasmine blossom625, kokoronagomu, Miztical-Dragon, Althea M, LimeGrass, donhisiewen, geckohawaii, Emi Violet, SeaSaltChocolate, and Void.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Bilocation**

**-noun**

**The state of being or the ability to be in two places at the same time.**

When Kenshin sees Kaoru standing in the door of his master's cottage, limned in the very last of the dying sunlight, he is torn between elated and furious. Elated because in spite of his attempt at isolation, she has considered him important enough to follow; furious, because she is far, far too precious to risk in the upcoming clash of ideals and steel.

The wishes in her eyes are fragile and painful to behold; she clearly fears his disapproval and rejection.

Kenshin cannot bring himself to say what is in his heart.

The spark of hope is too easily extinguished.


	34. Cachinnate

Thanks once again to all my amazing reviewers! And they are… *Drumroll* LimeGrass, Althea M, SRAS9, geckohawaii, Scarred Sword Heart, caseyedith, Emi Violet, and donhisiewen.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Cachinnate**

**-verb**

**To laugh loudly or immoderately.**

Kenshin has never had a best friend. As the youngest of four brothers he was a constant tagalong and rarely played with boys of his own age; then he spent the years after that training with a grumpy hermit three times his age. The closest thing in the Bakumatsu had been I'izuka, and that had been a catastrophe at best.

Nowadays Sanosuke shows up unexpectedly some evenings and drags him to illegal bars and gambling halls, and they spend the entire night tipsy; getting into imprudent fights and tearing up the town. Kenshin laughs like he hasn't in years, truly and genuinely.

At least until the police catch them.


	35. Degage

And once again, thanks to the reviewers who sponsor this story: kokoronagomu, Jasmine blossom625, geckohawaii, caseyedith, SRAS9, LimeGrass, Emi Violet, donhisiewen, Peacebunnie, SeaSaltChocolate, and Scarred Sword Heart.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Or Hiko Seijuro XIII.

**Degage**

**-adjective**

**Without emotional involvement; detached.**

It is a cold, clear night on the mountainside, the stars shining down with crystalline clarity; they look down for the most part on empty countryside, broken only by a small, neatly-kept cabin. A light wavers in the windowsill, as of a fire inside.

A tall man, broad and strong, sits against the wall of the cabin, a warmed cup of alcohol in hand against the chill. A child, his opposite in nearly every feature, sleeps on a _futon_ to his left, downy red head a few inches from his hip.

Kenshin sleeps, lips parted and a thin snore issuing; he has caught a head cold from their training in the chilly river water. The master acknowledges that he has been hard on his apprentice lately, but what he does is necessity, not cruelty. The boy must be strong if he is to survive the inheritance of their style.

The boy probably thinks he doesn't care, Hiko thinks with a sardonic grin. And best Kenshin continues thinking that; it will ease the guilt when Hiko dies at his hand.

Stirring, the child whimpers near to waking, perhaps because of the nightmares to which he is prone. With a gentle, practiced hand, the master smooths a hand over the apprentice's hair until he settles back into sleep.


	36. Zetetic

Thanks once again to the excellent reviewers: Althea M, Syolen, caseyedith, Jasmine blossom625, donhisiewen, geckohawaii, Rihannon, WellITriedSoManyOptions, kokoronagomu, Emi Violet, Crau, and Scarred Sword Heart.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Zetetic**

**-adjective**

**Proceeding by inquiry; investigating.**

What is that _smell_?

Yahiko pauses before the gate of the _dojo_, _sakabatou_ on his shoulder. He has been gone for some time, teaching at a _dojo_ in Hokkaido, but surely they didn't burn the whole place down in his absence?

Because that's what it smells like. Something charred.

Kenji comes streaking out of the house, followed shortly by Kenshin, carrying baby Iria on one shoulder. Kenji skids to a stop by the gate, coughs a bit, then grins. "Hi, Uncle Yahiko!"

"What happened?" Yahiko asks.

"We're going to Akabeko for lunch," Kenshin says, looking a bit harried with his eyebrows singed. "Welcome back, by the way."

"Thanks," Yahiko says. "Um, why?"

Kenji pulls a face that belongs on a baboon. "Momma tried to cook."

Waving a small fist in the air, Iria-_chan_ adds emphatically, "Boom!"

"And is she coming?" Yahiko asks warily. Kaoru who fails at cooking is usually Kaoru in a foul mood.

"No," Kenshin says. "We'll bring her something back. She has a headache."

"Inhaled the fumes," Kenji says helpfully.

"Ah." Yahiko decides that discretion is the better part of valor and lets it go. Sometimes, there's just no need to investigate further.


	37. Rubric

SRAS9, donhisiewen, LimeGrass, geckohawaii, caseyedith, No one special, Emi Violet, kokoronagomu, Althea M, and Scarred Sword Heart: Thank you all for your encouraging reviews!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Rubric**

**-noun**

**A title, heading, or the like, written or printed in red or otherwise distinguished from the rest of the text.**

Kneeling in the grass behind the crest of a hill, Kenshin debates whether he's going to go into the little town on the other side. He desperately needs supplies—he's down to his last handful of rice, and it's been weeks since he's had protein of any kind. His wrist bones have become unusually prominent lately.

But little towns like this are dangerous to him. Swordsman are rare in the countryside, and red-headed swordsman even more so. His hair will stand out like a banner, a damning arrow pointing out the Hitokiri Battousai.

Standing, he slings his rucksack over his shoulder. It's not worth it.


	38. Kenspeckle

And once again, a big thanks to the reviewers! They are: Void, Emi Violet, Althea M, SRAS9, geckohawaii, Crau, donhisiewen, and kokoronagomu. I appreciate your support and constructive criticism!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Kenspeckle**

**-adjective**

**Conspicuous; easily seen or recognized.**

Kenshin knows Kaoru sometimes wonders what he sees in her. She has him on… well, not a pedestal, really, but more of a step; she thinks he is strikingly handsome, and selfless, and a dedicated, hard worker. She sometimes thinks herself a sweaty, immature girl, and wonders why he married her.

He wishes he could put into words the way she makes him feel. When sunshine picks out the blue highlights in her black hair, he is entranced; when she teases he is young and innocent again, and her rainbow _ki_ of uncomplicated joy and zest for life is hypnotically, eternally entrancing.

It is really, he muses, far more about what she sees in a scarred, broken old man than about what he sees in her.


	39. Gerrymander

This was supposed to be a character study of the relationship between Katsura and Kenshin. However, after rewriting it three times, I believe it is a fail; I am too tired to rewrite it again. Enjoy!

SRAS9, donhisiewen, caseyedith, Jasmine blossom625, kokoronagomu, Althea M, geckohawaii, Emi Violet, and Scarred Sword Heart are the reviewers for the last chapter. Thanks bunches, folks!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Gerrymander**

**-verb**

**The dividing of a state, county, etc., into election districts so as to give one political party a majority in many districts while concentrating the voting strength of the other party into as few districts as possible.**

The Kyoto night is warm and quiet, humid in the damp way only a valley can be after a thunderstorm. Kenshin is on high alert as he escorts Katsura-_san_ back to the inn after his latest meeting, because the Shinsengumi have frequented this area lately; he cannot afford to be lax when the lynchpin of the Revolution is under his guardianship.

"Himura-_kun_," Katsura-_san_ says softly, as the lights of the inn become brighter, "Will you give me a moment of your time?"

"Of course," Kenshin says, pausing in a shallow, dead-ended alleyway. Even this close to Shishi sympathizers, one cannot be too careful.

"A word to the wise," Katsura-_san_ says seriously, face shadowed weirdly by the quarter moon. "There is… dissent, among Choshu and Satsuma. I cannot say more; I am bound by too many secrets." For a moment Kenshin's superior looks old, and frustrated. "Be careful, Himura-_kun_. I can only do so much."

Kenshin knows that Satsuma wants him dead; the leaders of that proud province make no secret of their disdain for Katsura-_san_ and his _hitokiri_ after too many unsanctioned orders for the deaths of prominent officials, and too many quiet meetings with Shogunate officials of ambiguous loyalty. Political expediency, however, does not allow them the luxury of confronting that kind of wrong-headedness directly.

"I will be careful."

_I will do what I must._


	40. Jubilee

Thanks to the fantabulous reviewers: Althea M, No one special, kokoronagomu, donhisiewen, AlterEgoSadist, geckohawaii, Scarred Sword Heart, caseyedith, and Emi Violet.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Jubilee**

**-noun**

**Any season or occasion of rejoicing or festivity.**

"HIMURA'S AWAKE!"

Misao's shout reverberates through the entire Shirobeko, interrupting Okina at his drinking, Aoshi at his meditation, and Kaoru from a much-needed catnap. There is a brief pause as the news sinks in, and then they are all scrambling up the stairs, elbows flying and voices shrieking. Megumi pokes her head out the door and waspishly admonishes, "Shut up, you idiots! Not all at once—"

Sanosuke picks her up bodily and sets her aside.

And then there is _Kenshin_, pale and wan and too thin but smiling, with his mouth and his eyes; Yahiko ends up on the pallet almost in his lap, Kaoru is holding both his hands in hers with tears in her eyes, Sano cuffs him on the shoulder, and Misao is bouncing around the room like a hyperactive rubber ball. The rest of the residents are crowding around the door, beaming and congratulating one another.

Kenshin himself is a sparrow in the eye of the hurricane; fuddled and disoriented, yet the storm about him is a happy one. His gaze passes from Kaoru-_dono_'s ecstatic features to Yahiko-_kun_'s broad grin to Sano's smirk, and he can hear Megumi happily scolding in the background.

The joy of their _ki_ thrums in the air, suffusing his veins like rainbows. _This_, he thinks, _is what I fought for_.


	41. Soupcon

And a thank you to all my reviewers for their awesome reviews! They are: mijin, geckohawaii, Chi no Kaori, Scarred Sword Heart, donhisiewen, kokoronagomu, Althea M, Emi Violet, and caseyedith.

**Soupcon**

**-noun**

**A slight trace, as of a particular taste or flavor.**

The world stops.

Kaoru stares at the _gi_ in her hands. It is old, and tattered, tossed into the rag pile after too many exposures to the wind and weather, held together more with stitches and patches than original cloth. It is a normal part of the _dojo_'s business, no more significant a chore than the ash pile to be cleaned out under the bathhouse.

It smells like Kenshin.

She crumples to the floor, clutching the ragged bit of fabric, sobbing out her broken heart. On a night of warmth and fireflies, just another summer night, he left and isn't coming back. The faint scent of pine trees and ginger is comforting and destructive, cutting her to the bone even as it reminds of better times.


	42. Rue

Thanks to all my fantabulous reviewers! They are: Jasmine blossom625, Althea M, caseyedith, SRAS9, donhisiewen, SeaSaltChocolate, geckohawaii, Scarred Sword Heart, Emi Violet, and kokoronagomu.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Rue**

**-verb**

**To wish that (something) had never been done, taken place, etc.**

**To feel sorrow over; repent of; regret bitterly**

It is Yahiko's nineteenth birthday, and Kenshin has taken him out to one of the nicer of Tokyo's quiet bars for an evening. Were Sano here it would be a raucous affair, complete with a trip to the police station, but Sano is in Kyoto on an errand for Megumi. Six months spent with Kenshin's master last year have taught Yahiko an appreciation for good _sake_, and so they are able to enjoy it in companionable silence.

Something has been bothering Yahiko lately, Kenshin knows. Tonight is a rare opportunity for the two of them to talk in private, away from the well-meaning ears of their family.

"I don't know how you stand it," Yahiko says finally, looking down into his drink. In profile he looks much older than his years, and tired.

"Stand what?" Kenshin asks. He has an inkling….

"I killed someone," Yahiko's voice is a bare whisper of itself. "It was an accident. There was this guy, and he was bothering a kid… this little girl. He was trying to—" Yahiko shakes his head, throat working. "We fought, and I tripped. The _sakabatou_ hit his temple, and he… Megumi said it was a stroke."

"When did this happen?" Kenshin is caught between horror and compassion for the boy who is son and brother to him.

"A week ago," Yahiko says. "I've been dreaming about it."

Kenshin knows those dreams. He knows them all too well.

"Saitou says it was justifiable homicide," Yahiko snorts. "Like _he's_ anyone to judge!"

Kenshin puts a gentle hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "It is… sometimes it seems unbearable." Oh, there are nights when he'd give anything to be able to take back the deaths on his conscience! "But you must remember that there are those who love you. Those whose happiness would be lost if _you_ are unhappy." He thinks of a soft-spoken young woman who has been haunting the _dojo_. "You've been avoiding Tsubame-_chan_, haven't you?"

Yahiko shrugs one shoulder. "Been busy, that's all."

"Go see her," Kenshin says, speaking from long experience. He gives Yahiko a gentle shove off his seat. "Go on!"

"It's almost midnight—"

"She won't mind," Kenshin says, knowing Tsubame will be grateful that Yahiko is seeing her again. "Go."

Watching Yahiko step out the front door, Kenshin drops change on the counter to cover their drinks, suddenly heavy of heart. He grieves for two young men, both with such pure intentions and fragile hearts.

And turns home for his own Kaoru.


	43. Subaudition

Thanks once again to the reviewers: Scarred Sword Heart, Mizuki1988, Jasmine blossom625, SRAS9, donhisiewen, Althea M, Syolen, caseyedith, SeaSaltChocolate, and Emi Violet.

A note on language: the _san-san-kudo_ is the Japanese tradition of drinking three times from three sake cups, and is part of the marriage ceremony.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Subaudition**

**-noun**

**An act or instance of understanding or mentally supplying something not expressed.**

-An excerpt from the diary of Yukishiro Tomoe.

He is very quiet. Except for asking me to stay at the bridge, he has not spoken a word. The _san-san-kudo_ at the shrine was done in complete silence, just a few words from the priest to bless our marriage.

Some would think it cold, the way he does not speak; but the language of eyes and hands tells another story.

He is always careful to help me over rough places in the path, eschewing the traditional practice of walking steps ahead of his wife—he is always nearby if I should stumble, a gentle palm on my elbow, fingertips on my forearm. His eyes are warm every time he looks at me.

As we sat under a magnolia tree to eat our simple lunch he gives me a shy smile, surprising and heartwarming as the first touch of dawn along the horizon of endless night.


	44. Tittle

Thank you to the reviewers: Althea M, Scarred Sword Heart, SRAS9, kokoronagomu, No one special, Syolen, Emi Violet, Jasmine blossom625, caseyedith, and donhisiewen.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

In case anyone is confused, this scene is Kaoru's POV from Kenshin's duel with Saitou in the _dojo_.

**Tittle**

**-noun**

**A dot or other small mark in writing or printing, used as a diacritic, punctuation, etc.**

**A very small part or quantity; a particle, jot, or whit.**

His eyes snap golden sparks, passionate and raw as open wounds, and his unbound hair is a flame; lithe and sinuous, he seems one with his sword, soul and steel a single incarnation. Devoid of silly grins and gentle things, his expression is a rapture of destruction—so openly emotional that she is shamed for him, a man whose usual reserve is powerfully distancing.

He is a dragon, wings and claws and searing fury; she is numb, unable to breathe, shocked that the features she has come to cherish have become alien.

It is the little things, Kaoru thinks, that separate the man from the killer.


	45. Ambrosial

Thank you so much to all the reviewers-I'm afraid that due to time constraints I can't list you all tonight. But I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Ambrosial**

**-adjective**

**Exceptionally pleasing to taste or smell; especially delicious or fragrant.**

**Worthy of the gods; divine.**

Kenji watches his father, nose only just barely peeking over the counter as his father dices watermelon. The treat has been chilling in the well all afternoon, oblivious to the yearnings of a boy who has just turned six.

Daddy has warned him sternly that Kenji is not to sneak his fingers into the cutting area to steal a morsel, as that would be _very bad_; so he watches and waits for a moment when that all-seeing eye is turned away.

Ah! An opening! Fast as lightning Kenji's hand snatches three wedges of black-speckled red, stuffing all in his mouth at once to avoid detection. The sweetness explodes on his tongue, and his eyes roll up in rapture.

Daddy turns back and glances from the counter, to Kenji, and back again. "Did you take some?" He asks.

Kenji shakes his head. "No, Daddy."

"Are you sure?" Daddy asks, eyes narrowing.

Kenji knows that look. It is the same look he gets when Uncle Yahiko says something stupid to Tsubame-_san._

_Deny deny deny_!

Putting on his most innocent expression, he says, "Yes, Daddy, I'm sure."

Daddy's mouth twitches at the corners in the beginnings of a familiar smile. "Alright, then. Run get your mom and Yahiko-_kun_. It's time to eat."

Kenji turns, wiping the juice from his chin. Victory!


	46. Arch

I'm ba-ack! And the reviewers are: Jasmine blossom625, caseyedith, SeaSaltChocolate, Emi Violet, SRAS9, mijin, Althea M, Mizuki1988, Scarred Sword Heart, No one special, kokoronagomu, geckohawaii, and donhisiewen. Thank you everyone!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

This… thing… is crackish. I make no apologies.

**Arch**

**-Playfully roguish or mischievous: **_**an arch smile.**_

* * *

A Beginner's Guide for Surviving Battousai

As Compiled by Okita Souji

_With notes from Saitou Hajime_

* * *

Welcome to the Shinsengumi! Congratulations on your decision to uphold the Shogunate and serve your country. You may have heard of the high mortality rate in our organization, and in an attempt to keep you alive longer we have put together a handy-dandy pamphlet.

_Even though trying is probably pointless._

The highest cause of mortality to the average Shinsengumi is the Choshuu Ishin Shishi, closely followed by the Satsuma Shishi, and then _seppuku_. Choshuu is in the lead because of a singular threat: Himura Battousai.

_Damn nuisance._

When on patrol stay together! Even the best swordsman may fall beneath the weight of numbers.

_Don't bother. It won't help._

When in headquarters use the buddy system. Battousai has broken into headquarters twice now, and while both of you probably won't escape, one of you can shout for help while the other distracts him.

_I'll have his head on a platter for that stunt!_

Do not approach Battousai or challenge him in any way, shape, or form. He will slaughter you, and if you do survive... Don't come back. We have an excellent healthcare policy, but there are fatal exemptions for stupidity. There are exceptions to the dueling rule, of course, like myself and Saitou_-taichou._

_Chances are, if you're reading this, you're not one of those exceptions._

And remember, guys, practice practice practice! The better you are with a sword, the more likely you are to make it to the annual Inter-Squad Party this September. Hope to see you there!


	47. Quaggy

Two in one day! I am making up for slacking.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Quaggy**

**-adjective**

**Marshy; boggy**.

Kenshin pulls his reed hat a little further down over his eyes, drawing his wife's scarf a bit closer around his neck. Winter is coming fast, with slush and icy temperatures just around the corner; now is the time of year when the rains have come but the mud has not yet frozen. It is ankle-deep and foul smelling.

_The life of a rurouni is hard_, he thinks.

Ah! Lights on the horizon! Kenshin picks up the pace.

Kaoru meets him at the door, a warm smile battling with stern frown lines on her brow. "Welcome home. Get inside before you freeze!"

Putting his groceries down, Kenshin smiles back.

_This one is glad to no longer be _rurouni_. Glad to come home_.


	48. Burlesque

Thank you to my unparalleled reviewers: Emi Violet, caseyedith, SRAS9, Althea M, Mizuki1988, kokoronagomu, LimeGrass, Peacebunnie, geckohawaii, Scarred Sword Heart, thebestIcan, donhisiewen, and Jasmine blossom625.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Burlesque**

**-adjective**

**Involving ludicrous or mocking treatment of a solemn subject.**

"Grr!"

The children shriek and laugh and all run to hide behind Kenji, who strikes his most heroic pose. "I will keep you safe from the evil daddy-demon!"

Kenshin growls again and hooks his hands into claws, advancing menacingly. "I am the daddy-demon," he intones. "Fear me!"

Shinya-_chan_ darts out from behind Kenji's legs, not to be outdone. "I fear no demon! I am the son of the Tokyo Samurai!"

A crafty smile creases his face. "Get him!"

Kenshin's eyes barely have time to widen in horror before he is dog-piled under his son, his daughter, and Yahiko's oldest.

Kaoru cannot help but shake her head. Battousai, the terror of a thousand children's nightmares, has just been soundly defeated by a preteen and two toddlers.

A thin appeal issues from beneath the scrum. "Oro…!"


	49. Wend

Thank you to my incomparable reviewers! They are: Althea M, caseyedith, Syolen, SRAS9, Mizuki1988, donhisiewen, mijin, and kokoronagomu.

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. (Not even when he was little.)

**Wend**

**-verb**

**To pursue or direct (one's way).**

It has been two days. Shinta's hands are far past blistered and are now raw and bleeding, but he cannot stop. Something inside him will not rest until the bodies (_not monsters, men, like Father and Uncle and Grandfather_) are decently buried beneath the ground.

The work went faster, at first, as he rolled the slashed bodies into shallow graves no more than two or so feet deep. But that night as he sleeps, worn to the bone with work and tears, the animals come and dig them up again and he has to start over, deeper and better.

Shinta will not stop. They would have taken his humanity, made him a slave God only knows where, doing God only knows what (_ugly leering smirks as he sits, hiding from them behind Kasumi-_san_'s sleeve_) and he will not allow them that last victory, even in death. He will behave with honor, with dignity and _humanity_, even to his dead enemies.

This is his way. This is the person he chooses to be.


	50. Parturition

Wow. After six weeks of (almost) daily drabbles, can you believe we're at the end? I want to take one last opportunity to thank those who reviewed the last chapter: Syolen, Ayesa, SRAS9, sulou, donhisiewen, Void, Scarred Sword Heart, Emi Violet, Althea M, and caseyedith. I hope to see you all when I post my next story, sometime this week!

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Parturition**

**-noun **

**The process of bringing forth young.**

Slim and dark-haired, a man paces before a small, well-kept house, sweating in the heat of the summer afternoon and with nerves. The sounds coming through the closed doors and windows, muffled though they are, are not reassuring.

Then, finally, the shrieks cease, and the man waits in tense anticipation; after what seems hours, the door opens and his aunt comes out, sweat beading the hairline of her tired face.

"You have a son, Himura-_san_." She says smilingly.

He tears past her into the darkened room. His wife, small, red-headed, and curiously vulpine rests on a _futon_, cradling a small bundle in her arms.

With an awed silence, the man sinks to his knees beside them.

Shy and proud, his wife turns the bundle so he can see the small, pinched face, fine downy red hair, and tiny fists. "His name is Shinta," she says.

It is the beginning.


End file.
